Can anybody explain what type of talent it takes to be a rapper, and why they make so much money?

Question

Dancers train for years and develop physical skills that most others don't have. Singers work to hit the notes, have a nice tone, stretch their range, sell the songs - etc. Musicians practice their craft over and over - read and play difficult rhythms and perfect their ability to play one or more instruments. Athletes work to know the game and keep their bodies in great condition. Actors perfect their craft through concentration and hours of character study. What do rappers do to deserve their fame and fortune? What talent do they possess or work on? I've never understood the popularity of this style of "music" (hard to call it that). Most high school or even middle school kids can memorize a poem and recite it with attitude. So what's all the fuss about? Why do rappers make so much money?

Answer 1

I personally don't love rap but I love to take the other side. First of all writing enough lyrics to fill an album takes talent. If you don’t believe it try to make your own rap song and have it not sound like The Sugar Hill Gang. Despite the fact that most of the beats are sampled, it still takes a musical ear to assemble these bits an pieces. The common misconception is that just because something is made of simple little pieces it is easy to put together. Try to sing along with a rap song and sing every single word, without missing one, great breath control is another talent the better rappers have. Rapping ability, like dancing, singing and athleticism comes more naturally to some people, without a lot of effort. Have you ever know some that was good most things they did seemingly applying no effort? Finally, they make money because they make pop hits. Just like Britney, all the boy bands and most country music, they try to write a good hook that will catch you ear, sell some albums, and then disappear. The problem with rap is not the lack of talent, but the lack of substance. Drugs, guns and one hit wonders don’t amount to much when their 15 minutes has expired.

Answer 2

Maybe your problem really isn't that you think that it doesn't take any talent to be a rapper, but that you just do not like rap and the culture that it upholds. Its ok maybe you don't like rap, or hip hop or hip hop culture, but maybe you should listen to a couple of rappers before you make the assumption that it doesn't take talent to be a rapper. Just because what they say might be distasteful to you, lets see you try to rap and make a good song with a good beat that makes people just want to dance and have fun. It is not that easy. It takes multiple talents to be a successfull rapper, you have to be able to successfully entertain people, you have to say the right words in your music so that they flow, you have to have the rights beats, you have to talk about what the public wants to hear, you can't just talk about my tracktor broke down or my girlfriend left me. I have a question for you, What is it about rap and rap culture that you hate so much, that you can't see the hard work that these guys put in? Also, it might seem like they make alot of money, but really they don't. Its the rap and hip hop producers like dr. dre, timberland, jay z, puff daddy, that are making all of the money because they are making the hot beats and they own all the hot rappers.

Answer 3

Yea, I agree...

I CAN respect the speed in which they deliver the lyrics (ex. Thug Luv) and a lot of them do write their own lyrics, which is respectable.

But I personally am not a big fan because the lyrics are extremely vulgar, sexist, and selfish. I am glad that they are wearing $50,000 chains and smoking marijuana while there are people living down the street in a box. I do think that rap music is pretty overrated and overdone. I am sick of it...

I am a fan of country and classical music, so it is hard for me to appreciate rap when I compare it to the genres I like. But honestly, nothing will EVER compare to classical music. As for country, people can harp all they want, but it is real music. The lyrics aren't crude. The country stars are genuinely nice people. I just hate the 'rap' image..yuck.....

Answer 4

A lot of the rappers today don't have much talent.

The old-school, real talented rappers made their own beats and background music, and that takes talent.

They also wrote their own rap music, some of which is as good as poetry.

a lot of singers today aren't talented either. Take Paris Hilton for instance, yet she made sdo much money off of her song.

Answer 5

I have a hard time calling Rap anything but crap. It is not so much the style of so called music but the content it seems to go for. I am sure it takes practice but Weird Al did pretty well, too, and he's a lot more entertaining!

Answer 6

Two guys in my chemistry class decided to come up with a rap to sing (sing? rap? perform?) at the end of each class. They call themselves "Spittin' Da Truef." They are hilarious to listen to... and sound much better than most of the other rappers out there today.

It seems to me that rappers seem to get about $100k for every time they look sexy on TV. If you could even call them sexy. Most of them just look pissed off.

Answer 7

Talent lol, all they need to do is stick a bunch of word that sound god together or sound sexual and start talkin, OH OH and have a bunch of women around then with big booties

Answer 8

I still don't know how some people who lived "in the ghetto" are millionaires the next year and are still somehow "reppin' da hood", haha. It'll go out of style eventually.

Answer 9

Rappers have to be able to steal, shoot people, and sexually exploit women. Thats talent ladies and gentlemen, Rappers deserve millions!

Answer 10

people tend to enjoy the mindless things in life
to quote Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead
"All rap is is someone talking over a drumline. Any idiot can do that!"